Cable clamp

ABSTRACT

In a cable clamp wherein both ends of a resilient plastic band are combined into a ring and cables are attached to a base and fixed, an engaging projection of wedge shape is provided near the ring end at one end portion of the band and directed to a surface of other end portion. A hole through which the engaging projection passes is provided on a surface of the other end portion which is bent in direction of the engaging projection, and the engaging projection is forced through the through hole into an attaching hole provided on the base, thereby the cables are bundled and fixed on the base. The cable clamp can be fixed to the base readily in single finger motion and does not become shaky on the base.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to cable clamps to bundle cables after wiring and fix them on a print board, a chassis or a panel.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In a cable clamp 1 of the prior art in which both ends of a resilient plastic band are fixed on a base to constitute a ring and cables are bundled and fixed therein, as shown in FIG. 1 cables are entered through an open end and then a screw is inserted in holes 2, 3 which are provided on both ends of the band in engagement thereby the cables are fixed on a base 4. Such construction has disadvantages in that both hands must be used when installing the cable clamp and a tool such as a driver must be used for the secure fixing.

In an improved cable clamp 5 as shown in FIG. 2, combination of both end portions 7, 8 of a resilient plastic band constitutes a ring, and one end portion 8 is bent in opposite direction to other end portion. An engaging projection 9 of wedge shape is formed near top end of the end portion 8 and extends in perpendicular direction to the surface of the end portion 8 and towards other end portion 7. The surface of the end portion 7 is flat and provided with a hole 10 through which the engaging projection 9 passes.

The cable clamp 5 in such construction is convenient to bundle cables 13 and fix them on the base 4. A workman can enter the cable 13 through the open end of the band 6 and depress the end portion 8 so as to force the engaging projection 9 through the hole 10 into an attaching hole 12 provided on the base 4 for engaging the projection 9 with the attaching hole 12. In this construction, the cables 13 can be bundled and at the same time the cable clamp 5 can be fixed to the base 4 in single finger motion.

Although the above-mentioned cable clamp 5 can bundle the cables 13 and fix them on the base 4 readily, if each cable 13 has large diameter or there are a number of cables 13, as shown in FIG. 4 the end portion 8 may be raised near the bent portion as designated by reference numeral 14, and the engaging projection 9 is pivoted upwards with top end 15 of the end portion 8 acting as a fulcrum and is apt to be pulled out of the attaching hole 12. Moreover, since the cable clamp 5 is held on the base 4 only by a force in opposite direction to insertion of the engaging projection (direction of arrow 16) based on resiliency of the band 6, it is apt to become shaky on the base 4.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a cable clamp in which above-mentioned defects are eliminated. In other words, subject-matter of the present invention is in a cable clamp to fix cables by combining both ends of a resilient plastic band into a ring and attaching the band to a base, wherein an engaging projection of wedge shape is provied near the ring end at one end portion of the band and directed to surface of other end portion, a hole through which the engaging projection passes is provided on surface of other end portion which is bent in the direction of the engaging projection, and the engaging projection is forced through the through hole into an attaching hole provided on the base, thereby the cables are bundled and fixed on the base.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 and FIGS. 2 (a), (b) are side views illustrating a cable clamp in the prior art;

FIG. 3 (a) is a perspective view of a cable clamp as a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 (b) is a partly enlarged side view of FIG. 3 (a);

FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating the use state of the first embodiment; and

FIG. 5 is a side view illustrating a second embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In FIG. 3 illustrating a first embodiment of the present invention, one end portion 26 of a resilient plastic band 21 is bent slightly with a small diameter and in opposite direction to other end portion 24. An engaging projection 22 of wedge shape is provided near the ring end at one end portion 26 of the band 21 and extends in perpendicular direction to the surface of the end portion 26 and towards surface 34 of the end portion 24. The end portion 24 is provided in its surface 34 with a through hole 23 having an inner diameter sized to enable the engaging projection 22 to pass through. The end portion 24 is longitudinally curved in arcuate shape about the through hole 23 towards the direction of the engaging projection 22. The band 21 has an open end 25 and is formed in approximately U-shape as a whole and molded integrally with the engaging projection 22.

Referring to FIG. 3 (b), the engaging projection 22 comprises a stem 30 at the center and engaging elements 32 each extending from top end of the stem 30 upwards at attaching angle (θ). A notch 33 is provided on attaching portion of each engaging element 32 with the stem 30 so as to facilitate the decrease and restoration of attaching angle (θ) of the engaging element 32 during engaging operation. A stopper element 31 extends from upper end of the engaging element near the stem 30, and other end of the stopper 31 is connected to the end portion 26 of the band 21. Distance h from surface of the end portion 26 having the engaging projection 22 to upper end of the engaging element 32 is a little greater than sum of thickness of other end portion 24 of the band 21 with thickness of a base described later. The stopper element 31 contacts with the inner circumference of an attaching hole 28 described later so that, when the cable clamp 20 is pulled, the engaging elements 32 are not opened beyond the necessary extent by the pulling force.

When the cable clamp 20 in the first embodiment of the present invention is used, cables 27 are inserted through the open end 25 of the band 21, and then as shown in FIG. 4 the end portion 26 is depressed so that the engaging projection 22 passes through the hole 23 and is further forced into the attaching hole 28 which is provided on the base 4 and has diameter slightly smaller than maximum diameter (r) of the engaging projection 22, thereby cables 27 are bundled and fixed to the base. Since the engaging projection 22 is provided near the ring end of the band 21, even when a number of the cables 27 are inserted or diameter of each cable 27 is large, the engaging projection 22 is not pulled out of the attaching hole 28 by lever action about top end of the end portion 26 as a fulcrum. Since the end portion 24 is curved in arcuate shape about the through hole 23, when the cable clamp 20 is attached to the base, by applying pressure to the end portion 26 and forcing the engaging projection 22 into the attaching hole 28, the curved portion of the surface 34 becomes flat along surface of the base 4, and by removing the pressure of the end portion 26 after completion of engagement between the engaging projection 22 and the attaching hole 28, the engaging projection 22 is pulled in opposite direction to the depression by means of resiliency of the base 21 and the curved portion of the end portion 24 is apt to restore to curved state again by strong resiliency thereby surface of the base 4 is pushed by portion near ends of the curved portion (24') (24"). The base 4 is pushed at front and rear surfaces by the engaging elements 32 of the engaging projection 22 and the portion (24') (24") near ends of the curved portion thereby the cable clamp 20 is fixed to the base 4 securely.

In a second embodiment as shown in FIG. 5, an arcuate curve in the end portion 24 and the through hole 23 for passing projection is formed in similar configuration to the first embodiment. The end portion 26 is provided with the engaging projection 22 formed as an extension of the belt 21 through a pushing element 29 with a diameter larger than the through hole 23.

In the second embodiment, cables are entered through the open end 25 in the band 21 and the engaging projection 22 is inserted through the hole 23 and forced into the attaching hole 28 on the base 4 whereby the cables are bundled and fixed to the base 4.

As above described, in a cable clamp of the present invention, an engaging projection to be attached to a base is provided near a ring end at one end portion of a band, a hole through which the engaging projection passes is provided on other end portion of the band, and the end portion is curved in arcuate shape in the direction of the engaging projection about the through hole, thereby cables can be bundled and at the same time the cable clamp can be fixed to the base in single finger operation. Since the base is grasped at front and rear surfaces by co-operation of the curved portion and engaging elements of the engaging projection, the cable clamp does not become shaky on the base. Furthermore, since the engaging projection is provided near the ring end of the band, the cable clamp of the present invention has effect that the engaging projection is not pulled out of the attaching hole even when a number of cables are inserted or outer diameter of each cable is large. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A cable clamp comprising:a resilient plastic band having a first end and a second end, said band being bendable in an arcuate shape such that said first and second ends may be positioned in facing parallel relation, said band including a preformed small diameter bend adjacent said first end and an elongated first end portion extending a first length from said small diameter bend to said first end; a hole in said band adjacent said second end and an elongated second portion extending a second length from said hole to said second end, said second length being at least as great as said first length; and a wedge shaped engaging projection fixed to said band between said small diameter bend and said first end at a position spaced from said small diameter bend by a distance substantially less than half said first length, said engaging projection extending perpendicular to said band such that it may be inserted through said hole when said first and second ends are in said facing parallel relation, whereby when said engaging projection is inserted through said hole to a clamping position, said first and second end portions are in substantial surface contact thereby preventing disengagement of said projection in said hole by a lever action of said elongated first end portion against said second end portion.
 2. The cable clamp of claim 1 wherein said engaging projection comprises:a central stem having a proximal end fixed to said band and a distal end; engaging elements extending from said distal end toward said first end of said band and at mutually opposite angles to said stem, including a notch where each engaging element attaches to said stem.
 3. The cable clamp of claim 1 including a stopper element extending between an end of each said engaging element opposite said notches and said first end of said band, wherein the distance between said opposite end of each said engaging element and said first end of said band is greater than the combined thickness of said second end of said band and a base to which said clamp is to be secured. 